Machine for handling eggs



Jan. 24, 1961 H. .LMUMMA MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June 1. 1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l, 1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 y HNVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA ATTORNEY,

Jan. 24, 196i H. J. MUMMA 2,9593@ MACHINE FORHANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l, 1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA ATTORNEY Jan 24 1961 i H'J-MUMMA 2,959,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS original Filed June 1, 195s 17 sheets-sheet 4 FIJBB IN VE N TOR ARoLD .LMUMMA ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,959,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l. 1953 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 5 "F DEJEN:

INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA ATTAORNEY Jan. 24,1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

J MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June 1.11953 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 me INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUM MA FIE E]: BY

ATTORNEY `Fan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA -I 2,969,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June 1, 1953 1'7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA ATTORNEY v Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l, 1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA BYW/W ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. M'UMMA MACHINE .FOR 'HANDLING EGGS original Filed Jun 1', 195s v' 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTUR HAROLD J. MUMM .i`lii liiiiia liiiii ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 196i H. J. MUMMA MACHINE: FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l. 1953 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 10 iNVEN'OP.

HAROLD J. MUMM ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS original Filed June 1, 195s 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 mlm-HTH.-

NVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA /MWg/Zl/ ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J.' MUMMA MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l. 1953 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 12 ATTORNEY `Fam. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

MACHINE: FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June l, 1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 ATTORN EY lNVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June 1. 1953 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 14 ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,969,136

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed June 1,-1953 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 O cr G @g8 l 5 d* C "v 01030101 HAROLD J. MUMMA BY 754W .ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 H. J. MUMMA MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS original Filed June 1,'1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 0mm .3. m @Nm v 0o. www www .mm Om www. wm e?.

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INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA BY )Qu/1 ATTORNEY Jan. 2-4, 1961 H. J. MUMMA MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS original Filed June 1, 1953 17 sheets-sheet 17 United States Patent O MAcmNE Fon HANDLING EGGS Harold J. Mnmma, Riverside, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Y Original application June 1, 1953, Ser. No. 358,621. Di-

vided and this application Nov. 15, 1956, Ser. No. 622,386

12 Claims. (Cl. 198-26) The present invention relates to lmachines and apparatus for handling eggs. More particularly, the present invention relates to machines and apparatus that assist in segregating the eggs received from the producers into desired classication groups according to quality and weight and which pack, or facilitate the packing of eggs of the same classification into cartons or cases for shipment to distributors and consumers.

This application is a division of my copending application, U.S. Serial No. 358,621, filed June 1, 1953, for a Machine for Handling Eggs.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved supply chute for egg conveyors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a supply chute for an egg handling machine wherein the passage of eggs from the chute is controlled by the egg conveyor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an egg handling machine wherein the passage of eggs from the chutes thereof are registered.

Another object of the present invention is to provide `an egg hand-ling machine wherein the eggs on the supply chute are blocked until the approach of an empty cup advanced by the egg conveyor.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the total egg handling machine of the invention viewed from a point in front and to the right of the feed end thereof.

Fig. 2 is another perspective of the total egg handling machine viewed from a point in front and to the right of the egg discharge end thereof.

Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D are the four quarters of a plan view of the total machine.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the machine viewed from the side opposite to the feed end thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary schematic perspective illustrating the various power trains by means of which the movable components of the machine are driven from a common source of rotary power.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective of the feed end of the machine showing an inclined board having a plurality of superposed shelves or racks upon which the operator deposits the eggs according to their different qualities, and an elevator arranged to remove the eggs from said shelves to carry them to a weighing mechanism.

Fig. 7 is another perspective of the feed end of the machine viewed from a higher level than Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a directly succeeding phase in the operation of the mechanisms shown therein.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the quality racks and of the feed elevator with certain parts removed to expose structure underneath.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary front elevation of quality racks and of the feed elevator with certain parts removed to expose structure underneath.

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recording components of the memory drum are actuated l and in turn control discharge of the eggs from the distributing conveyor onto the classification conveyor.

, Construction ond operation of the machine The egg handling machine of the invention (Figs. l, 2 and`4) comprises a supply conveyor 100 which may have the form of a slightly inclined roller conveyor, whereupon cases or crates with eggs are delivered to the candling station 102. At the candling station, the operator takes the eggs from the cases or crates, checks them first for external appearance and places those that are deformed, excessively dirty or broken into the pockets of cardboard grids 103 on special trays 104 that are located at his right side. Those found to be of satisfactory external appearance, he views against a light beam emitted from a suitable electric torch 106 and places them according to their color and internal quality upon the proper racks or shelves 108 of a reclining grading board 110 that has eight such shelves or racks, 108:1., 108b, 108e, 108d, 108e, 108], 108g and 108k in superposed relation. From the racks or shelves 108 which are laterally inclined, the eggs slide onto the cups 112 of a single file elevator 114 while actuating electric mechanisms that register the quality of every egg according to the rack or shelf from which it is supplied to the conveyor on a rotary memory device 116 (Fig. 5), that moves in synchronism with the elevator 114 and which possesses quality recording members corresponding to every one of the cups 112 that pass by and may receive an egg from the racks or shelves of the grading board 110. The elevator 114 lifts the eggs successively to the level of, and delivers them into a weighing mechanism 118 which weighs each egg and registers its weight by electrical impulses on the memory device 116 with the aid of weight recording members thereof that are aligned with the previously mentioned quality recording members. From the weighing mechanism 118 the eggs are transferred onto cups 120 carried by the elongated horizontal run of a single file conveyor 122 which passes at right angles over -another conveyor 124 that comprises as many parallel lanes 126 as there are different quality/weight classification groups provided for in the machine. The cups 120 on the horizontal run of the single file conveyor 122 advance in synchronism vn'th both the feed elevator 114 and the memory device 116, hence, as an egg passes from the aforementioned feed elevator 114 onto the weighing mechanism 118 and from there onto a cup `120 of the single file conveyor 122, the cup 120 on the latter conveyor that receives the particular egg steps into the synchronous relation with the quality and `weight recording members of the memory device 116 which, up Ito this point, was held by the elevator cup 112 that passed the egg to the weighing mechanism.

Above each classification lane 126 of the multilane conveyor 124 mechanism is provided in the form of solenoids 128 (Figs. 3B and 3D) that are operable to tip the cups 120 of the single file conveyor '122 as they pass above said classification lanes so as to deliver the eggs from said cups into selected ones of said classification 3 lanes. Energization of each of said solenoids 128 (Figs. 3B and 3D) is arranged to require the simultaneous closure of at least two series-connected normally open switches `whose' position ymay beadjustable relative to the hereinbefore mentioned memory device and which may be closed depending upon their position by selected ones of the hereinbefore mentioned quality and weight recording members of said device whenever a; cup carying an egg of the selected quality and weight combination passes Vover a particular preselected lane 126 of the classification conveyor 124. Thus as the single file conveyor 122 carries the eggs over the various parallel lanes 126of the classiiication conveyor 124, it distributes said eggs under control of the memory device into the proper classification lanes of said conveyor 124 so that each of said lanes will receive only eggs of predetermined quality and weight combinations.

The classification conveyor 124 may be arranged to feed the segregated eggs to egg accumulators 130 which are provided at the end of each classification lane and which operate to arrange the eggs in superposed tiers or rows. Alternatively, the classification lanes of transverse conveyor 124 may be arranged to feed the eggs into an automatic carton filling mechanism 132 and the automatically filled cartons are then delivered onto the upper run of a take-ofi conveyor 134 extending along the discharge end of the classification lanes 126 as best shown in Fig. 2.

Quality grading board and feed elevator forthe weighing mechanism The operator receives open crates of eggs as supplied from the producer on a platform 158 at the lower end of the previously mentioned inclined roller conveyor 100 as shown in IFig. 1. In taking the eggs out of the crates, he immediately rejects excessively soiled or broken eggs by transferring them into one of the cardboard grids 103 on the hereinbefore mentioned trays 104. Said trays 104 are preferably inclined toward the operator and may be pivotally mounted in superposed relation upon a series of inclined base plates 154 that project in candelabrum fashion from a reclining support post 156 which rises from the platform 158 at the right side of the conveyor 100,

The hereinbefore mentioned grading board 110' is preferably mounted directly above the end of the roller conveyor 188 a distance only slightly larger than the depth of the egg crates so that a crate delivered from the conveyor onto the platform may position itself with its open end directly below and in front o-f the grading board 111i (Fig. 6).

The grading board may comprise a reclined base plate 158 which may suitably be supported from the adjacent side wall 168' of a cabinet 162 that encases the hereinbefore mentioned weighing mechanism 118 and the memory drum 115. For this purpose, said side wall 160 carries a bracket member 1454 which supports a reclining bar 166 (Figs. 9 and 13), and supported from said reclining bar by suitable angle members 168 is another reclining bar 178 to which base plate 158 is bolted with suitable spacer bushings 172 maintaining said plate a limited distance in front of the reclining bar 170 as best shown in Figs. 11A and 11B. Disposed in front of the base plate 158 are the eight superposed racks 108 which decline toward the left edge of said plate as previously pointed out. All of said racks are formed by bars 174 of hairpin shape having spaced parallel legs 17611 and 176]; of preferably rectangular cross section. At the juncture of said legs, the bars 174 are mounted in circular locks 178 that are seated upon the edge of a flange 180 which is formed by the upwardly turned right edge of the base plate 158 (Fig. 10). The free left ends of bars 174 are slightly bent downwards to increase the downward gradient of the slanting `legs 176e and 17617 at their inner ends, and the ldownwardly bent left ends of the inner legs 176e of said bars rest upon tubular-arms' 182 that are mounted in and project outwardly from the reclining bar through the base plate 158, as best shown in Figs. 9, 11A and 11B.

Upon viewing the eggs against the hereinbefore mentioned torch 185, which is mounted in and projects forwardly from the base plate 158 between the two lowermost racks, (Figs. 6 anddfl),v the operator rejects those eggs found to Voetoo old or. containing internal impurities, transferring them onto one or the other of the hereinbefore `described trays 104. Those found'acceptable he places upon appropriateoneof theabovedescribed eight racks 18S according to their quality. Thus, he may `place the eggs V,graded-as light'dirtyf upon the top rack 108k, those Igraded as B :upon fthe -secondrack '108g counted from the top, etc., with the bottom rack 108a receiving those classed as checked Disposed adjacent the lower ends of the racks 108 is the rearwardly inclined rising run 183 of the hereinbefore mentioned feed elevator'114'which receives-the graded eggsfrom the racks linto the before-mentioned cups11 2 and delivers them to the weighing mechanism 118. Said elevator comprises an endless sprocket chain 184 trained about aniidler sprocket 186 (Fig. 12),that is adjustably supported from the reclining bar 165, and aV drive sprocket that is firmly mounted upon a shortitransverse shaft 190 (Fig. 5) which is rotatably supported in the upper end of the bar '166. VThe rising run'183 of the sprocket chain 184 rides upon and along the upper edge-of another reclining bar or plank 192i (Figs. 9andy 13) which extends parallel to and is supported from the reclining bar .166.

At intervals equal to thedist-ances between thequality racks 198, the parallel links 194g and 194b of the elevator chain are provided with `outwardly turned lugs- 19661 and 196b, respectively, which carry the crossv bar 198 or a T-shaped plate 20). Secured to the left inner corner of eachl T-shaped plate 2th), as viewed in Fig. 9, istubular bearingA 282 that is horizontally positioned when vtraveling along the ascending run of the elevator and within which is rotatably anchored a pivot` stud 284. Secured to the outwardly projecting endet each said pivot studs 2134 is the verticallyrising stem 2do of an armi'that extends transversely across the elevator chain. Said arm 288 Ais of `concave conformation and lcarries the actual cup 112which has the formof a lshallow concave plate that is traversed by a centrally located recess lor depression 212 extending approximately inthe same direction as the oars 176e and '176th of the racks 174. Said recess 212 is of a width. about equal to the distance'betw'een said bars. Thus, the cup. plate 112 presents :to an' egg delivered thereinto fromone ofthe racks 188 at -least two points of support that are `spaced' fromleach `other in iafdirection axially yof the egg. A spring 214-tensioned between the vertical stern 266 of arm 288 and a stud-216 upon the opposite end yof the cross bar- 19S 'of the T- shaped mounting plate 281i yieldably holds said stem against la stopmember 218 secured `to'said v-sarnec'ross bar 198 and in vthis manner'maintains-the cup 112 '.ina substantially horizontal position Vwherein it is s adapted to support yan egg thereon `when traveling along 'the rising run oftheY elevator.

interposed `between the lower-ends ofthe racks 108 and the' rising runof the elevator 1.14am gate mechanisrns`22tl'which'v normally block exit of :the eggs from the racks` but may temporarily be disabled bythe approachlof an'empty cup onthe rising Vconveyor' runto permit discharge of an egg 'from the rack'whenever an empty cup on the conveyor iisavailable for its reception. Each of the normaliy closedv gate mechanisms 22) is formedfby a knee-shaped plate 222`disposed between LVthe parallel `legs 176g and 17o!) of its respective rack` near the discharge end thereof (Fig. 9). Saidfplaite 222 is secured Sto lthe crossb'ar 2241.01 ay U-shaped memberQZd which is firmly mounted upon-a spindle 228ithat' projects from, and turns in;` the 'hereinoefore mentioned tubular arrn` 1182 vupon 'which the'fleg 176e :oihei trackr bain. Y1174 is supported. The weight-'cfstlieiparallelrlegs 239aand 230b of the U-shaped member 226 urges the gate 220 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 9 and 10 -to an extent determined by engagement of a lip 234, formed at the free end of the knee-shaped plate 222, with la lillet 236 extending between and secured by the lower faces of the rack bars 176a and 176b. When in said counterclockwise position, the knee-shaped crest 238 of each plate 222 projects above the |level of the rack bars 176a and 176b and in this manner prevents any egg placed onto, and gravitating down said rack, from escape as best shown in phantom lines at A in Fig. 9.

Means are provided to actuate each gate mechanism 220 to swing its knee-shaped plate 222 in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9 into the position illustrated at B in said Fig. 9 whenever an empty cup approaches the discharge end of its respective rack. For this purpose, a tubular bearing 242 extending in a direction transversely of the elevator chain 184 yis welded to the lower end of the center bar 244 of each T-shaped mounting plate 200, and slidably disposed within each of said tubular bearings is a trip finger 246 that protrudes normally beyond the right end of said bearings as viewed in Fig. 9. The protruding tips of the fingers 246 are arranged to engage L-shaped arms 248 projecting radially from the hereinbefore described spindles 228 of the U-shaped gate members 226 into the path of said linger tips and swing them clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9. When an L-shaped arm 248 is moved in the described manner, the gate mechanism 220 with which said arm is associated, swings in clockwise direction until the rising portion 222a of its knee-shaped gate plate 222 comes againstthe fillet and lies ilat below the bars 176a and 176b of the rack as illustrated at B in Fig. 9. Now an egg that formerly pressed against the descending run 222b of the kneeshaped plate 222 as illustrated at A in Fig. 9 may rol-l over the rising poltion 222a of said plate, as shown in phantom lines at B in said Fig. 9. Then, as it comes against the upturned legs 2300 and 230b of the U-shaped gate member 226, its momentum swings the total gate mechanism in counterclockwise direction back into its initial position, as determined by engagement of lip 234 with fillet 236 because the continuously advancing finger 246 on elevator 114 has meanwhile released the L-shaped arm 248. As a result thereof, the egg is now free to roll from the rack into the directly succeeding elevator cup 112 that registers at the moment with the rack 108. Discharge of other eggs from lthe Vsame rack, however, is positively prevented by the described return-of the gate mechanism to its initial position.

Means are provided that disable the protruding trip ngers 246 by pushing them back into their tubular bushings 242 whenever a succeeding elevator cup receives an egg. For this purpose, the hereinbefore mentioned reclining bar 166 carries opposite the vends of each but the ylowermost grading rack, a solenoid 250 (Figs. 9 and l0) whose armature has a buffer-shaped head 252 that is normally seated slightly behind the path of the protruding finger tips 246 as they rise with and along the ascending run of the elevator 114. 'Ihe power circuit of each of said solenoids includes a normally open switch 256 (Fig. 14) housed in Ia switch box 257 that `may be bolted to the reclining bar 170 (Figs. 10, 1-lA and 11B). Each of said switches 256 has. an arm 258 that is operated by a cammng block 259 which is mounted upon an actuating spindle 260 rotatably received in a tubular spindle 261 that is supported in reclining bar 170. The actuating spindle 260 of each of said switches 256 extends to a point below the bars 176a and 176b of its respective rack and is provided with a radially directed arm 262 that rises above the level of said bars at a point intermediately of the parallel legs 230:1 and 230b of the U- shaped gate member 226. Whenever an eg'g rolls over the gate member 226 in the manner described hereinbefore, it depresses the arm 262 which is eifective'to close momentarily the power circuit rof the solenoid 250 opposite the end of the next higher rack 108. This projects the buffer-shaped head 252 of the armature of said solenoid momentarily into the path of the protruding finger tip 246 above the cup that receives the egg which actuated the switch 256. Thus, the protruding linger tip preceding the cup that just received an egg encounters a projected head 252 which cams it back into its tubular bearing 242. Hence, the finger 246 above a lled cup is unable to 'actuate any of the gate mechanisms 220 of the higher rack-s, and it is impossible therefore that said cup may accidentally receive another egg from anyone of said higher racks.

In the circuit diagram shown in Fig. 14, the switches 256 have been individually identified by the suix letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h, respectively, corresponding to the quality racks 108m to 108k with which they are associated because the momentary closure of switch 256, as effected by escape of an egg from its corresponding rack 108 is not only effective to disable the gate opening finger 246 preceding the lilled cup, it also energizes briey a corresponding one of another set of solenoids 264:1` to 264k (Fig. 14) which are associated with the hereinbefore mentioned memory device. Upon energization, each of said solenoids sets a corresponding recording member in said device into a position representative of the quality of the eggs stored on the particular rack from which the switch-actuating egg passed onto the cup, in a manner and for a purpose described in greater detail in my aforementioned copending application.

After a cup on the ascending run of the elevator has risen above the level of the highest rack, 108 means become elective that tip it to the left, as viewed in Figs. 6 and l0 to cause an egg lying therein to roll onto the platform 266 of the egg weighing mechanism 118 while at the same time restoring the retracted gate opening finger of the cup to its protruding position in which it may effectively actuate a gate mechanism 220 upon return to the ascending run of the elevator. Having again reference to Figs.` 9 and 10, the vertical stem 206 of each of the arms 208 that carry the cups, forms at its lower end an outwardly turned ear 268, and as a cup reaches its uppermost position, said ear is engaged by a stationary camming ledge 270 projecting laterally from the side wall of the hereinbefore described cabinet 162. Contact with ledge 270 swings each arm 208 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 9 and l0, against the urgency of the hereinbefore described spring 214 and thus tips the cup about its pivot 204 to the left at the very moment when it reaches the level of the weighing platform 266. Mounted in each ear 268 at the underside thereof is a round headed camming stud 272, and when said ear comes against the camming ledge 270 and is swung in counterclockwise direction on its pivot 204, said camming stud bears down upon the projecting left end of the trip finger 246 in the tubular bushings 242 and restores said finger to its effective forwardly projected position, wherein it may again actuate the lirst gate mechanism 220 that it Will encounter.

While I have described my invention with the aid of a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that the 1. A supply chute for egg conveyors comprising a pair of inclined, transversely spaced parallel bars disposed in spaced vertical planes and having their lower ends bent to accentuate their inclinations, a U-shaped block hav-vr 

